Pelargonium plant named ‘PEQZ0049’

ABSTRACT

A new Pelargonium plant named ‘PEQZ0049’ particularly distinguished by the coral flowers that have a darker colored center. Flowers are held above the medium-green foliage, very heat and drought tolerant with continuous color through the most extreme summer heat, and exceptional edema tolerance on a well-branched plant habit.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Pelargonium interspecific.

Varietal denomination: ‘PEQZ0049’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Pelargonium, botanically known as Pelargonium interspecific, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘PEQZ0049’.

‘PEQZ0049’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar ‘PEQZ0049’ has coral with a dark center colored inflorescences held above the medium-green foliage, very heat and drought tolerant with continuous color through the most extreme summer heat, and exceptional edema tolerance on a well-branched plant habit.

‘PEQZ0049’ originates from a hybridization in a controlled breeding program made in September 2011, in a greenhouse in Guatemala. The female parent was an unpatented, proprietary plant of P. interspecific parentage, identified as ‘10817-4’ with coral salmon florets. ‘10817-4’ has smaller flowers and smaller, darker green leaves than ‘PEQZ0049’.

The male parent of ‘PEQZ0049’ was an unpatented, proprietary plant of P. interspecific parentage, identified as ‘10997-1’ that also had coral salmon colored florets. The resultant seed was sown in February 2012. ‘10997-1’ is later to flower and has less flowers per plant than ‘PEQZ0049’.

‘PEQZ0049’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in May 2012 in a greenhouse in Gilroy, Calif.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘PEQZ0049’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in the June 2012 in a greenhouse in Gilroy, Calif.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in December 2012 in Gilroy, Calif., and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘PEQZ0049’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘PEQZ0049’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length.

A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar has not yet been applied for. ‘PEQZ0049’ has not been made publicly available prior to the effective filing date of this application, notwithstanding any disclosure that may have been made less than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application by the inventor or another who obtained ‘PEQZ0049’ directly from the inventor.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of these characteristics distinguishes this Pelargonium as a new and distinct variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawing shows typical flower and foliage characteristics of ‘PEQZ0049’ with colors being as true as possible with an illustration of this type. The photographic drawing shows in FIG. 1, 3 flowering plants of the new variety and in FIG. 2, a close-up of an inflorescence.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The plant descriptions and measurements were taken in Gilroy, Calif. in late May 2019 under natural light. These plants were approximately 12 weeks old and were grown in quart sized pots, in a greenhouse trial. The plants shown in the photographs were taken at the same time that the data was collected.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.) 2015.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘PEQZ0049’ AND A MOST SIMILAR VARIETY ‘PEZQ0011’ (U.S. Plant ‘PEQZ0049’ Pat. No. 28,488) Floret size: Larger Smaller Floret petal color: Coral with dark center Scarlet Umbel diameter size: Large Medium Plant size Large Medium

-   Plant:     -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Upright, outwardly spreading out,             well branched habitat.         -   Plant height.—14-16.0 cm.         -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—22-23.0 cm.         -   Plant width.—38-40.0 cm. -   Roots:     -   -   Number of days to initiate roots.—15-18 days at about 22             degrees C.         -   Number of days to produce a rooted cutting.—21-23 days at 22             degrees C.         -   Type.—Fine, fibrous, free branching.         -   Color.—RHS N155B. -   Foliage:     -   -   Immature leaf, color upper surface.—Closest to RHS 138 A.         -   Immature leaf, lower surface.—RHS 138B.         -   Mature leaf, color upper surface.—RHS 137A.         -   Mature leaf, color lower surface.—RHS 137C.         -   Variegation of the leaf blade.—Absent.         -   Length.—5.2-5.5 cm.         -   Width.—7.8-8.0 cm.         -   Shape.—Cordate.         -   Base shape.—Cordate.         -   Apex shape.—Acute.         -   Margin.—Slightly dentate.         -   Texture upper side.—Hirsute.         -   Texture lower side.—Hirsute.         -   Leaf zonation color.—None.         -   Color of veins, upper surface.—RHS 137C becoming indistinct.         -   Color of veins, lower surface.—RHS 137C becoming indistinct.         -   Pattern of veining.—Palmate.         -   Petiole color.—RHS 137C.         -   Petiole length.—6-7.0 cm.         -   Diameter of petiole.—0.3 cm.         -   Texture.—Pilose, hirsute, glandular hairs. -   Stem:     -   -   Quantity of branches.—4-5.         -   Color of stem.—Between RHS 144A and RHS 144 B.         -   Length of stem.—11.0-12.0 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.6 cm.         -   Length of internodes.—1.0 cm.         -   Texture.—Sparsely hirsute, pilose, glandular hairs. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Color of peduncle.—RHS 137C.         -   Length of peduncle.—15-16.0 cm.         -   Peduncle diameter.—0.5 cm.         -   Texture.—Hirsute, glandular hairs. -   Pedicel:     -   -   Color of pedicel.—Between RHS 187A and RHS 166A with 137C             being the main color and RHS 144A marked around it.         -   Length of pedicel.—2.0 cm.         -   Diameter of pedicel.—0.2 cm.         -   Texture.—Sparsely pilose, glandular hairs. -   Bud (just before opening):     -   -   Color.—Closest to RHS N57A.         -   Length.—0.9 cm.         -   Width.—0.6 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—Umbel; semi-spherical or nearly semi-spherical.         -   Lastingness of individual flowers.—7-9 days at 18° C.             temperature.         -   Number of inflorescences per plant.—7, with 4 immature             umbels in various stages.         -   Fragrance.—None.         -   Umbel diameter.—11-12 cm.         -   Umbel depth.—7 cm. -   Corolla:     -   -   Form.—Double.         -   Number of petals.—8.         -   Diameter of flower.—About 5.0 cm.         -   Depth of flower.—1-1.5 cm.         -   Color upper petals, upper surface.—Closest to RHS 58B, with             RHS 57A veining.         -   Color upper petals, lower surface.—Closest to RHS 58D.         -   Length of upper petals.—2.5 cm.         -   Width of upper petals.—2.0 cm.         -   Color lower petals, upper surface.—Closest to RHS 52A.         -   Color lower petals, lower surface.—Closest between RHS 58B             to RHS 58C.         -   Length of lower petals.—1.5 cm.         -   Width of lower petals.—0.8 cm.         -   Petal shape.—Obovate to spathulate.         -   Apex shape.—Rounded.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Petal texture.—Papillose on both surfaces. -   Calyx:     -   -   Number of sepals.—5.         -   Color of sepals.—RHS 144A Mottled with anthocyanins of about             RHS 178B.         -   Length of sepals.—1.1 cm.         -   Width of sepals.—0.3 cm.         -   Sepal shape.—Lanceolate to linear.         -   Apex shape.—Acute.         -   Margins.—Mostly fused.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Glabrous.         -   Lower surface.—Glandular hairs, hirsute. -   Reproductive organs: -   Gynoecium:     -   -   Pistil.—1.         -   Length.—1.1 cm.         -   Style color.—Closest to RHS 53D.         -   Style length.—0.6 cm.         -   Stigma color.—Closest to RHS 53D.         -   Ovary color.—RHS 144A.         -   Ovary length.—0.5 cm.         -   Ovary diameter.—0.2 cm. -   Androecium:     -   -   Number of stamens.—7.         -   Color of filaments.—RHS N57B with RHS N155C basally.         -   Length filaments.—0.6 cm.         -   Anther color.—RHS 53D with RHS 155C to follow and light             mottling of RHS N155C.         -   Length of anthers.—0.2 cm.         -   Color of pollen.—RHS 172A.         -   Pollen amount.—Sparse.         -   Fertility/seed set.—Has not been determined to date.         -   Disease/pest resistance.—Has not been determined to date. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Pelargonium plant named ‘PEQZ0049’ substantially as illustrated and described herein. 